Cycling should be safe, convenient and enjoyable for all my family and friends

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Be part of our work for safer more enjoyable cycling.

Please help us build support for increased investment in bike lanes & paths, improvements to traffic laws and cycling & driving education.

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Writing Letters to Elected Officials

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Support safer more enjoyable cycling in BC!
Sign up for our email news to keep up to date on our activities and to see how you can get involved.

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Letters can be a very effective way of convincing public officials to address an issue. For each letter received, they often assume that several hundred other people feel the same about the issue. Here are a few tips.

Addressing Elected Officials

Politicians need to concern themselves more with the big picture and are interested in how your ideas will affect the larger community (and its voters)

Be less technical and more anecdotal

Get to the point and be brief

Keep letters under a page (use appendices if you really need to add some technical detail).

Exceptions are when you are suggesting language for a plan or policy. In these situations, it may be necessary to spell everything out, but these are the exceptions.

Try to provide something before asking for something in return. For instance, instead of protesting to raise the issue of poor cycling facilities, ask the leader(s) responsible to take a tour of the facilities in question with you. That way, you can incorporate leaders in the solution. Also, if they agree to a tour, you’ll have engaged them in the process and begun to hold them accountable.

Letter Content

Confine your letter to a single issue.

Write in a natural style.

Letters should be factual and polite.

Take special care not to sound threatening, aggressive or offensive. You want to win a friend, if not now, then on other issues in the future.

Be positive and constructive – make a clear request and write as if the reader is open to reasoned argument.

Carefully plan your opening sentence; make it short and interesting. Particularly if you are communicating to criticize, it helps to start with appreciation or praise for the recipient’s past activities.

Don’t plead.

For problems, personal accounts of how this issue has impacted you and your family, friends and community can be very persuasive.

For improvements, describe the benefits for you and your family, friends and community

Relate experiences elsewhere that demonstrate the effectiveness of improvements you want

Say a little about yourself if you want to – for example something about your occupation or background.

If there is a problem that requires remedial action, (if possible) request a specific action from the official and show your own willingness to work for a solution. Don’t merely be critical; close with constructive suggestions and a positive tone.

If any follow-up is planned, let them know the time frame.

Use a conclusion that encourages a reply

Use Email

As most people have mobile devices, email tends to be more effective than pen and paper.

Include the text of letter in the body of the email and not as an attachment if possible. This makes it easier to read on a smart phone.

Sources:

http://www.vacc.bc.ca/advocacy/advocacy.php?pageID=23

http://www.wluml.org/node/5603

http://www.amnesty.org.uk/content.asp?CategoryID=949

Cycling Priorities Poll

We would like to know what you think the top priority should be for the BC Cycling Coalition. The results will help gulde our activities over the coming year.

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Please choose your top priority:

Wider and better maintained shoulders on highways

Education for motorists and cyclists

Cycling tourism

Changes to the Motor Vehicle Act including safe passing distance law and being able to ride two abreast

More funding for bike paths and separate bike lanes in your community

Improved maintenance and hazard removal on roads

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By entering your email, you consent to receive essential updates critical to making cycling safer for your family & friends from British Columbia Cycling Coalition. We respect your privacy. Your info will not be shared. You may unsubscribe at any time.

By checking Send me email updates, you will receive action updates (1 or 2 per month) critical to making cycling safer for your family & friends from British Columbia Cycling Coalition. The larger our email list, the more likely the Province will improve cycling. You may unsubscribe at any time.

By entering your email, you consent to receive essential updates critical to making cycling safer for your family & friends from British Columbia Cycling Coalition. We respect your privacy. Your info will not be shared. You may unsubscribe at any time.

By checking Send me email updates, you will receive action updates (1 or 2 per month) critical to making cycling safer for your family & friends from British Columbia Cycling Coalition. The larger our email list, the more likely the Province will improve cycling. You may unsubscribe at any time.

TraC Sunshine Coast is a community based group advocating for alternatives to single occupancy car use on the Sunshine Coast of BC. Serving the communities of Gibsons, Langdale, Roberts Creek, Sechelt, Halfmoon Bay and Pender Harbour.

The purpose of the Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition (GVCC) is to get more people cycling more places more often in Greater Victoria communities including Victoria, Esquimalt, Victoria, Saanich, Central Saanich, North Saanich, Sidney, Esquimalt, View Royal, Colloid, Langford, Metchosin, Sooke, Oak Bay and Highlands.

We make cycling better through education, action and events. More cycling means healthier, happier, more connected communities. We’re leading the way in making cycling an attractive choice for everyone.